Artistinfo: Deep, raw funk. Stax-style Southern soul. Atlanta’s Ruby Velle and the Soulphonics are the heirs to the thrones of the old-school masters. But they’re much more than just a group of revivalists trying to create a period piece.

Lead singer, Ruby Velle’s inviting and accessible bravado has scored the band critical acclaim from outlets such as The New York Daily News, MTV, Paste and more. And in addition to their critical success, at a time when record sales are at an all-time industry low, the independent, DIY-minded Velle and the Soulphonics sold over a quarter-million downloads of their single “My Dear” on iTunes, landing them in the Top 30 on Billboard’s Heatseeker charts and at a stunning #4 on the iTunes R&B charts when their debut album, It’s About Time, was released in 2012. The group has shared bills with megastars and indie press darlings alike, including Lee Fields and the Expressions, Erykah Badu, The XX, Goodie Mob, Gary Clark Jr., Animal Collective, Feist and Kendrick Lamar.

They appeared in the CW’s show The Originals in April 2015; were profiled mid-2015 on PBS’s Music Voyager as well as on CNNGo Travel series showcasing Atlanta artists (along with Killer Mike); and received significant sync placements on Ray Donovan and Suits. Their sophomore album, titled State of All Things, will release in the spring of 2018.